A True Gentleman
by WingedArcher1
Summary: In another timeline Rutger meets Clarine and Klein much earlier in his life, back before the war with Bern and the murder of his parents. Just a simple story about how meeting someone in a different time can slightly change the outcome of the future. Rutger/Clarine if you squint.


A True Gentleman

"But father, I don't know anyone here. Why couldn't I stay in Pherae or Ostia where I have friends?" The fourteen year old boy asked with a hint of complaining. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy going to new places, but he knew this trip was more focused on politics than pleasure.

"Because Rutger, there are people here that you can meet and be friends with." His father, the former tactician, answered. "Lord and Lady Reglay have kids that are just around your age, so you don't have to listen to us grownups talk about boring politics."

"And they aren't racist to Sacaen people?" He asked knowing that it could be an issue.

"If they were they wouldn't be friends with us." His mother answered. "They may be nobles, but they are the good type of noble."

"Well said Lyn." Mark said agreeing with his wife. After that the castle guard called for them and allowed them into the meeting room with Pent and Louise.

"Welcome Lady Lyndis, and you as well Mark, how have you been lately?" Pent greeted them happily.

"We've been good. A bit surprised that you called us here, but good nonetheless." Lyn answered. "Thank you again for the accommodations as well, they are very nice."

"No problem." Pent said as he sat down at the table. So Mark, Lyn and Rutger followed suit.

"And who might you be?" Louise asked Rutger. "You're quite the handsome one."

"Um, my name is Rutger." Rutger answered blushing a bit. "I'm fourteen."

"Oh, so just a bit younger than our son Klein then." Pent replied. "You know him and his sister are just down the hall, if you want you can go meet them while we talk business." Rutger looked at his parents and they nodded so he got up from the table.

"Thank you Lord Reglay." He said politely and Pent just chuckled.

"Call me Pent okay?" He explained and Rutger understood. So he walked down the hall someways before he heard the sound of people talking, more precisely arguing.

"But whyyyyy? Why do you have to join the army Klein, I want you to stay here with me and have tea parties and dress up." A young sounding girl whined. "What if you end up falling in love and never coming back?"

"You'll understand when you're older Clarine, I have to do this for the betterment of Etruria and myself." A more mature voice interjected before Rutger knocked on the door to the room. "I'll get it." The door opened to show a short blonde haired boy with a determined look on his face. "Oh, you must be the visitor that father told us about, come on in."

"Thank you." Rutger said as he walked inside. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but my name is Rutger, I guess our parents are friends with each other."

"Nice to meet you Rutger, I'm Klein." Klein said extending his hand for a shake, which Rutger took. "And not really, just your usual sibling squabble."

"I wouldn't know, I'm an only child." Rutger commented. "And what's your name?" He asked the girl, but she just crossed her arms and turned away from him. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Yes you did." Clarine told him. "A true gentleman introduces himself by kneeling down and kissing a girl's hand."

"Don't mind her, she hasn't quite matured yet, she's only eleven." Klein commented. But Rutger was amused with her attitude so he went along with it.

"Okay let me try again." Rutger said. "Make sure you answer the door though." So he left and knocked on the door again. Clarine answered it and Rutger got down on one knee and took her hand.

"Lady Reglay, what a pleasure it is to finally meet you, I am Rutger of the New Lorcan tribe of Sacae." He said playing along, even adding the kiss on the hand. "How does this nice day treat you?" Klein just sighed and put his hand on the bridge of his nose that someone was acting so gullible with his sister. Rutger expected her to respond in a fancy way, but instead she started inspecting his hair with her hands.

"Clarine, what in Elimine's name are you doing?" Klein asked even though Rutger wasn't complaining. "That is really rude of you."

"He said he was from Sacae but he has brown hair." Clarine explained as Rutger chuckled from the ticklish feeling he was getting. "Every Sacaen I've met has green hair. Are you sure you aren't from Bern?"

"My father was born in Bern and has brown hair, that's why my hair is brown." Rutger said still smiling. "And my mother's mother was a Lycian noblewoman, so I may get some from there as well." With that revelation Clarine pulled her hands back from his hair and stared at him in shock.

"How could you not tell me you were nobility? I must seem so rude right now." She cowered back slightly. Klein just rolled his eyes seeing as she just now got his point on being rude.

"Nah, I don't mind." Rutger said cheerfully "Besides, my mother abdicated her position, so I'm not sure what that makes me."

"For a more serious question, who is your mother?" Klein asked.

"My mother's name is Lyndis and my father's name is Mark." Rutger answered. "They said that they fought with your parents with Lords Eliwood and Hector."

"So you're technically the heir of Caelin if I'm remembering the story correctly?" Klein asked again.

"Yeah, but I don't plan on causing a dispute, Lord Hector takes good care of the land and Sir Kent is a wonderful Knight Commander." Rutger answered.

"Why wouldn't your mother want to be a noble though?" Clarine asked. "Doesn't she know what kind of life she could live?"

"She once told me that she knew that she couldn't be a good leader for the people, and that's why she gave control to Lord Hector." Rutger explained.

"What about you?" Clarine continued. "You are quite handsome, not as much as my brother, but you could live like a noble if you wanted to. It's really fun, you get to play dress up and have tea, and you get to tell people to do whatever you want them to."

"Clarine, how many times have I told you that's not what being a noble means." Klein scolded her. "You have to serve the people, not be served by them."

"I know, I know, that's why I practicing to be a healer." Clarine told Rutger.

"That's cool, I don't have any magical skills so I use a sword. And to answer your question, I haven't really given it thought." Rutger said truthfully. "But I have tons of time to decide. So what do you guys like to do?" So the three of them continued to talk and Rutger kept going along with Clarine's antics because he though it was amusing, much to Klein's chagrin. Eventually so much time had passed that night had fallen and Mark and Lyn came back to find Rutger and Klein playing chess with Clarine sprawled on the floor sleeping.

"And checkmate." Klein said as the door opened. "You're quite good Rutger, 2 out of 5 is impressive."

"He gets that from me." Mark said with a grin. "It's time to go Rutger, we have some time tomorrow so maybe we can come back."

"Okay." Rutger said standing up. "I had a really fun time Klein. I hope we can do it again."

"Me as well. Hopefully Clarine will be more mature then, but you dealt with her pretty well for your first time." With the mention of her name Clarine woke up and started rubbing her eyes open.

"Hey, you better not leave without telling me." She yawned. "It's not gentlemenlike." So Rutger bent down and took her hand again.

"I had a wonderful time Lady Clarine, and I hope you did as well. Until we meet again, farewell."

"Farewell Sir Rutger of Sacae, may we meet again someday."

 **Years Later**

Clarine waited in the cell, yelling at all the passerby to let her free, but to no avail. Despite her bravado she was quite scared of what might happen to her. Then a red clad figure came to the bars with his back turned and unlocked the cell.

"You better be letting me out of here." Clarine told the man, but as soon as he turned around her face became shocked. "You're, you're," she started to stammer, knowing that face from years ago, even though it was locked in a permanent scowl.

"Just get over here before someone sees us." Rutger said grabbing her hand and leading her out of the dungeons.

"Hey, you shouldn't be grabbing me like this, where are your manners?!" She started yelling at him.

"Will you stay quiet? You won't be able to make a clean escape making all that noise." Rutger said staring her down. Clarine was wondering to herself why Rutger was so mad, it made her wonder if it even was him.

"Why are you helping me?" She asked as the continued towards the stables.

"I despise Bern with all my soul, letting you go will send them a message." He told her.

"You know that only piques my curiosity further." Clarine stated. "You are Rutger of Sacae correct? Or are my eyes playing tricks on me?"

"I'm not the boy you once knew." Rutger said untying a horse for her. "Now go, I hear a battle outside, the attackers might be able to help you." Clarine balked at the command so he picked her up and placed her on the horse. "Now go, I'll cover you."

"You're coming with me." Clarine huffed. "It's what a true gentleman would do." Little did she know how hard those words would hit him, reminding him of days past when he was actually happy and safe. He took a deep breath and saddled up behind her, not wanting to waste more time with this escape.

"Don't expect me to follow you all the way back to Etruria." He said gruffly and Clarine had the horse move away from the castle.

"You just had to attempt an escape in the middle of a battle, didn't you?" Clarine sighed as she surveyed the battlefield.

"Either that or leave you with those madmen." Rutger grumbled. "Look, to the east, that's where we go."

"Ah, yes, I see them." Clarine responded seeing the attacking army. "Hopefully they are respectable enough. If not you can defend me, right?"

"If I must." But, luckily for the pair, it was the Lycian Army, and the start of a long campaign against the King of Bern.

 **A/n- Don't be expecting a revival of Buried in the Sand any time soon, still not feeling it.**


End file.
